Spain prosper on late shift

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IT WOULD BE CHURLISH to be too harsh on Spain as they progressed to the last 16 on an enthralling night in Stuttgart, but for long periods they reverted to type and displayed the cumulative nervous tic spawned by years of frustration.

If you wanted someone in the trenches with you, then it did not look like these were the right players, albeit if they were digging the trench it would no doubt have a nice rockery and a water feature. So Spain should pay thanks to Francesc Fàbregas, who arrived as a half-time substitute and shed Spain of their